But head coach Mike Donnelly says the competition in Division I's South District might be the best it's ever been, putting some added pressure on the Knights and the rest of the league's elite.

“It wasn't too long ago that the South was pretty much a three-team race with St. John's, Episcopal and Kinkaid and, sometimes, Lamar, but that's no longer the case,” Donnelly said.

Foes like Kingwood and The Woodlands, who might have been easy wins in the past, are vastly improved, while Strake Jesuit is the popular pick by the district's coaches as the favorite. The addition of three new teams — Cinco Ranch, Memorial and St. Thomas — has made it even more interesting.

“The South Division is as strong as it's been since I've been in the league,” Donnelly said. “I'm not surprised. The caliber of coaching is excellent in the South, and there's just so much athletic talent in Houston. Finally, those kids are starting to play lacrosse.”

What exactly does that mean for Episcopal? Donnelly says it's too early to tell, but the Knights are off to a fine start. Episcopal opened the season with victories over St. Thomas 10-1, Cinco Ranch 17-6, Austin Anderson 14-8 and Memorial 16-12 before making its road trip to Dallas. There, the Knights knocked off Plano 11-4, then dropped their first game to Dallas Jesuit 13-6.

“We've played pretty well,” Donnelly said. “Unfortunately, we ran into a very good Dallas Jesuit team.”

However, the Knights figure to rebound with a talented squad heavy on veterans.

Senior Michael Lintner anchors a tough Episcopal defense. Lintner is a returning all-stater who has already committed to Roanoke College in Salem, Va. In the Knights' first six games, he has tallied four goals and three assists.

“A couple of coaches I've talked to believe Michael has the skills to be an All-American,” Donnelly said. “Michael is one of our top defenders and he's averaging about one point a game (offensively). He's a big-time player who can do it all.”

Senior Nick Skibber is splitting time with freshman Zach Maxwell at goalkeeper.

“Both of them are first-year starters, but they've done an incredible job,” Donnelly said.

Senior Parker Mason, another all-stater, bolsters the midfield line, handling face-offs for the Knights. Mason, a member of Episcopal's Southwest Preparatory Conference champion football team, has 12 goals and five assists.

Although loaded with talent, Donnelly said Episcopal is simply one of several outstanding teams with a legitimate shot at winning the THSLL Division I's South District and possibly the SPC championship.

“We're definitely not alone,” Donnelly said. “There are so many quality teams this year. We're in good company.”